Cellular materials are ubiquitous in the modern world. Often they are used because of their low weight and outstanding insulating properties. They have been used as thermal, acoustic, and mechanical isolators. Varying the pore size and material density allows for the manipulation of stiffness, strength and other material properties. Cellular materials fall into two major categories: stochastic, and ordered. Stochastic cellular materials include foams, sponges, and non-woven textiles. These produce an assortment of closed or open cells which do not follow any regular deterministic pattern. Non-woven textiles in particular are used in such varied applications as carpets, filters, surgical gowns, and textured surfaces. Ordered cellular structures consist of geometric patterns such as truss structures, lattices, and honeycombs. Traditional subtractive methods of manufacturing are generally incapable of directly producing such ordered microstructures.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods and systems for producing open or closed cell foam structures.